Detachable button



July 2, 1968 E. ZIMBER 3,39

DETACHABLE BUTTON Filed Feb. 14, 1966 A7216 ZZZ U 6 66 7 Z I 7a BY W M Z ATTORT-JEY United States Patent 3,390,435 DETACHABLE BUTTON Eric Zimber, Brooklyn, N.Y. (102 7th St., Garden City, N.Y. 11530) Filed Feb. 14, 1966, Ser. No. 527,335 2 Claims. (Cl. 24104) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A free clothing button comprised of a button head and fastener, the button head having a stem removably receivable through a button hole of a garment, the stem end being securable to the fastener located at the rear side of the garment material, and the securement comprising a tongue around the side of the stem that is sidewardly slidable into a groove in the fastener, thus allowing interchangeability of buttons for the garment.

This invention relates to outer garment buttons, and more particularly to a readily attachable and detachable snap-on button for use with a large variety of outer garments.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a button with an integral stem having at its free terminal end an eccentric lug element that is readily inserta-ble through a preformed opening in the fabric of a garment and to which lug element a holding device or fastener is secured by a sliding snap-on clamping and frictional engagement therewith, the lug with its fastener lying on the opposite side of the fabric.

Another object of this invention is to provide a button and fastener device of the character above which may be quickly and easily applied to and removed from a garment without injury either to the garment or button, thereby facilitating and encouraging the interchange of buttons as may be desired, as, for example, on dresses, suits or coats, so as to obtain desired ornamental effects; the ready removal of the buttons for the cleaning of the garment; the replacement of buttons while the garment is being worn, and for a wide variety of uses wherever buttons are used. I

A further object of this invention is to provide a detachable button with a snap-on holding device or fastener of the character described, which may be adapted for use in a covered button construction, wherein a button form may be quickly and easily assembled with a desired fabric covering for the button, and applied to a garment.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a detachable button with a snap-on fastener of the character described, which may be economically manufactured in mass production, which is compact and of simple construction, efficient, simple to apply, and remove, of low cost and maximum durability.

Further objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, my invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that change may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described within the scope of the appended claims.

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of the button with snap-on fastener in assembled relation;

FIGURE 2 is a detail sectional view taken on line 2-2, FIG. 1;

FIGURE 3 is a bottom plan view of the snap-on fastener as assemled on the button stem;

FIGURE 4 is an exploded perspective view of the terminal end of the button stem and snap-on fastener;

3,39%,435 Patented July 2, 1968 FIGURE 5 is an exploded side elevational and sectional view of the parts of FIGURE 4 taken on line 55;

FIGURE 6 is an exploded plan and sectional view taken on line 66, FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is an exploded elevational view of a modified form of button construction, and

FIGURE 8 is a front elevation view of another modified form of the present invention.

The button structure of FIGURE 1, comprises a button 10, stem 12, and a holding unit or fastener 14. The button 10 may be of any desired shape, size or form, and has integrally formed therewith the stem 12 which, as shown, depends axially from the bottom of the button, both being made of any suitable material. The free terminal end of the stem 12 has integrally formed therewith an eccentric laterally extending lug 16. The lug 16 is in the form of a flange 18 defining like sides 20, 22 and a back 24. The side edge 25, 26 respectively, of each side 20, 22 has a concave-convex shape which merges with the circular edge 27. Preferably the flange 18 at its sides and back tape-rs uniformly in thickness, being of least thickness at its edges 25, 26, 27 as shown. To brace the flange 18, there are integrally formed there with an upper rib 30 and a lower rib 32, each of which is also integral with the stem 12. As seen in FIGURES 4 and 5, the ribs 30, 32 taper in thickness toward the outer edge 34 of the flange 18, and are of a width at their rear ends corresponding to the diameter of the stem 12, and with the sides of each converging away from the stem. The form of the lug 16, embodying flange 18 and ribs 30, 32 is such as to permit ready insertion of the same through a preformed opening in the fabric of a garment or other fabric object to which the button 10 is to be affixed.

For coaction with the lug 16, there is provided a holding unit or fastener 14 which is in the shape of a slotted disc. The slot in the disc fastener 14 extends radially outward from the axial center of the disc and is of a width at its inner end equal to the diameter of the stem 12, the bottom 42 of the slot 40 being circular and corresponding to the radius of the stem 12. Preferably, the disc fastener 14 tapers in thickness from its center to its peripheral edge, as shown, and the side walls 44, 46 of the slot 40 converge slightly towards the terminal open end thereof and corresponding to that of the sides of the ribs 30, 32 for a reason to be hereinafter described. Extending inwardly from the sides 44, 46 and bottom 42 of the slot 40 is a groove or pocket 50 that is located in the horizontal center plane of the disc fastener 14, and is shaped to be complemental to the dimensions of the flange 18. Thus, with the button 10 having its stem 12 and lug 16 inserted through a preformed opening in a fabric, the application of the disc fastener 14 to the lug 16 will secure the button in position. This is achieved by placing the disc fastener 14 initially relative to flange 18 in the position shown in FIGURE 4. By moving the disc fastener 14 to the left with the flange 18 entering the groove or pocket 50, the disc fastener 14 will be in its secured position on the flange 18 of lug 16 when the convex portions 52, 54 of the inside wall of the groove or pocket 50, which are complemental to the concave portions 25, 26 of the flange 18, seat therein. Due to the convergence of the sides 44, 46 of slot 40 and the convex portions 52, 54, the arms of the disc fastener 14 are sprung apart in the movement of the same along the flange 18, as is apparent, the disc fastener 14 looking onto the flange 18 by a snap-on action. It is to be noted that the curvature of outer edge 34 of lug 16 conforms with the circumference of the disc fastener 14 to provide a neat and finished appearance.

A reverse movement of disc fastener 14 relative to flange 18 will effect disengagement of the same therewith to thereby permit ready removal and/or replacement of button 10.

It is to be understood that the disc fastener 14 may be the same for different types, designs or shapes of buttons, each of which is provided with a like stem and lug.

Where it is desired to utilize a fabric covered button so as to match or contrast with the fabric of a garment or other object, there is provided, see FIGURE 7, a hollow button 60, the exterior of which is covered with a fabric 62, the edges of which are tucked into the inside of the button. A button holder 64 having a dished bottom 66 and a cylindrical rim 68 receives therein by a press-fit the fabric covered button 63, the frictional engagement holding the same together as well as securing the fabric cover 62 to the button. Second axially to the bottom 65 is a stem 70 having at its lower end a lug 72, similar in all respects to stem 12 and lug 16, for attachment to a disc fastener 14.

A modified snap-on-button 75 shown in FIGURE 8, incorporates a button head 76 and a lug 77 at opposite ends of a stem 78 that is made of flexible material such as rubber or soft plastic so that the stem may bend from a position as indicated by dotted lines A to a position as indicated by solid lines B. This construction is particularly useful for boys clothing.

While certain novel features of my invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claims, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A detachable button comprising:

(a) a button member,

(b) a stern extending axially from the bottom thereof,

() a lug eccentrically positioned on the free terminal end of said stem and normal to the axis thereof,

((1) a readily attachable and detachable disc fastener,

(e) interengaging means on said lug and disc fastener providing mounting of the disc fastener on the lug by a telescoping action therebetween,

(f) said interengaging means being complementally formed such as to produce a snap-on action of the disc fastener on the lug to lock the same thereon in the final position thereof,

(g) a flange having parallel sides and a part circular back,

(h) there being in the side edge of each flange side a concave depression,

(i) said flange throughout its entire extent tapering in thickness towards the edges thereof,

(j) a tapered rib on each side of said flange extending radially from the stem to the front edge of said flange and integral with both said flange and stem, whereby to brace said flange,

(k) said ribs being oppositely disposed,

(1) said flange constituting the interengaging means on said lug,

(m) the other interengaging means on said disc fastener comprising (11) a radial slot in said disc fastener having a width corresponding to the width of said ribs,

(0) a grooved pocket extending inwardly from the walls of said slot shaped complemental to said lug flange and located in the medial radial plane of said disc fastener,

(p) the opposed side Walls of said slot converging slightly towards each other, and

(q) the bottom wall of said grooved pocket at each side of said flange having a convex protuberance,

whereby,

on telescoping the disc fastener onto said flange by positioning the flange in said grooved pocket, the sides of the disc fastener will be slightly sprung until the convex protuberances of the grooved pocket will seat in the concavities of the flange side edges to effect the snap-on action.

2. The detachable button of claim 1, wherein:

(a) each said rib has a width equal to the diameter of said stem, and

(b) said front edge of said flange has a curvature corresponding to the circumference of the disc fastener,

whereby,

in the seated engagement of the disc fastener on the flange, said front edge will provide for continuation of the circumferential edge of the disc fastener.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 251,740 10/ 1912 Germany.

BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner.

WILLIAM FELDMAN, Examiner.

E. SIMONSEN, Assistant Examiner. 

